Chocolate Mousse Cake

Makes 1 9" cake.

Serves: Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

• 1 C. Flour
• 1 C. Sugar
• ⅓ C.(heaping) Cocoa Powder
• 1 t. Baking Powder
• ¾ t. Baking Soda
• ½ t. Salt
• ½ t. Espresso Powder
• ¼ C. Coconut Oil(can sub vegetable oil)
• 1 Egg
• ½ C. Coconut Milk(can sub cows)
• 1 t. Vanilla
• ½ C. Hot Water
• 1 Recipe Chocolate Mousse (see below)
• 
  
• FOR GANACHE:
• 1 C. Dark Chocolate Chips
• ½ C. Heavy Cream
• 1 T. Butter
• ½ t. Vanilla
• 
  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9" Springform pan with parchment(trace and cut to fit) and lightly grease.
2. Place flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder in a mixing bowl and mix until blended together.
3. Add the coconut oil, egg, coconut milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
4. Add the hot water to the mixture and mix until combined, 10-15 seconds.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the top of the cake is firm but springs back when touched.
7. Cool the cake completely.
8. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and remove the springform, simply to make sure it will come apart from the cake portion easily when unmolding the whole chilled mousse cake. Re-attach the springform to the cake portion.
9. Grease the sides of the pan lightly with oil or cooking spray.
10. Make the chocolate mousse according to directions.
11. Spoon the chocolate mousse on top of the cooled chocolate cake in the springform pan and smooth out the top so that its level.
12. Place the mousse cake in the fridge while you prepare the ganache.
13. Place 1 C. dark chocolate chips and ½ C. heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
14. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth(microwave for an additional 30 seconds if there are lumps).
15. Add the butter and vanilla to the ganache and whisk until butter melts and mixture is smooth.
16. Pour the ganache on top of the chocolate mousse in the springform pan and spread across the top until level and smooth.(If your ganache hasn't set up too much, you can pour it on top of the mousse and just tilt the pan at different angles until it coats the entire top of the cake. This will give it a glossy, smooth finish)
17. Chill for at least 4 hours, or until the mousses are firmly set.
18. TO SERVE: Carefully unmold the mousse cake from the springeform pan. It should come off smoothly if you greased it well before adding the mousse. Cut the cake with a knife dipped in boiling hot water(then wiped off) for a smooth cut.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 4 Egg Yolks
• 3 T. Sugar
• pinch of Salt
• 1 t. Vanilla Extract
• 7 oz. Semi-sweet Chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat 3/4 cup of cream in the microwave until hot. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt until well combined. Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly until well blended. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a custard. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and stir until smooth.
3. Pour the custard through a small sieve into the melted chocolate chips. Stir the custard and chocolate until well blended and smooth. Let cool.
4. Whip the remaining 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add 1/4 of the whipped cream to the chocolate custard and whisk in well to lighten the mixture. Add the remaining whipped cream to the lightened custard and very carefully fold in until the mixture is well combined.